Anna back in Ralegan,skips Ganesh pandal puja

People from various parts of the state and the country had come to the village to have a glimpse of Anna but he did not address them. He is likely to make a public appearance on Friday for the gram sabha meeting and will probably address the media on Monday.

When Anna reached his village at around 1.30 am from Pune airport,he was greeted by hundreds of villagers who burst crackers and raised slogans. Men and women,young and elderly,came out on the streets to receive Anna.

On entering the village,he first visited the Yadav Baba temple where he stays and offered prayers. Some women greeted him with an aarti. Anna thereafter moved to Bhakta Nivas of Padmavati temple.

A huge police team and several print and television mediapersons followed him,even as crowds continued to raise slogans. “We have not been able to meet him thereafter,” said Ralegan Siddhi sarpanch Jaisinh Mapari.

Mapari said the village,under Hazare’s guidance,has been implementing the Ek Gaon Ek Ganpati concept for the last 10 years. The sarpanch said every year,Anna performs puja to install the Ganesh idol,but this year he conveyed he would be unable to perform the puja at the pandal due to health reasons. “He is physically weak and suggested we get the puja done by a dalit villager. After waiting till 5 in the evening,in the hope of Anna performing the puja,villagers performed it in his absence for the first time. As per his instructions,the villagers got the puja performed by a schoolteacher from a backward community,” said Mapari. He told waiting people Hazare would not be able to meet them on Thursday.

The sarpanch said villagers had planned a grand welcome but had to suspend the plans as per instructions of their leader. “We were told to wait till the gram sabha meeting on Friday,” he added.

Suresh Pathare,secretary of the activist,said there was nothing to worry about Anna’s health. “He is fine and taking rest to recover from weakness. Doctors have advised him complete rest for a few days,” he added.

Pathare,who had accompanied Anna in Delhi during the Jan Lokpal campaign,said,“I felt proud to be with Anna,” he said.

The village had visitors from Haryana,Kerala and almost throughout Maharashtra.

“I came for a glimpse of the leader who has taken the lead to rid the nation of corruption,” said Meena Sahani from Mumbai. Some visitors waited from morning to evening and left disappointed.

For Ralegan residents,Anna’s presence in the village was enough. “I feel as if our God is back at the temple. We wish him good health…,” Balasaheb Kale.

Vishwanath Pathare,a villager now settled in Mumbai,said guidance of the activist had helped him a lot and he wanted to return something to his village. “I succeeded in running food joints in Mumbai and have taken the responsibility of providing food to 10,000 villagers during the celebrations on Friday,” he said.

(With inputs from Chandan Haygunde)